Water is Thicker than Blood
by BendingDreams
Summary: AU. Suki and Azula embark on a rescue mission. Their sacrifices will determine the fate of their loved ones. Told from Suki's POV. Rating M for violence and language to be on the safe side. My Pro-Bending Round 2 Submission
**Author's Note:** AU. Suki and Azula embark on a rescue mission. Their sacrifices will determine the fate of their loved ones. Told from Suki's POV. Rating M for violence and language to be on the safe side.

 **Events:**

 **Waterbender:** The two characters go swimming.

 **Prompts** **:**

Easy (1 point):

(color) black/white

Medium (2 points):

(emotion) dread

Hard (3 points):

(restriction) Only one character can have dialogue.

 **Bonus Points:** Include an element that's not air, earth, fire or water. It does not have to be bent but the element must be plot-relevant - 3 points: I used lightning and bloodbending.

Word Count without Author's Notes: 2279

* * *

Nothing in all my years of training prepared me for this mission. For this moment. The knot in the pit of my stomach grows with each breath I take. If I wasn't already laying flush with the earth, the weight of the consequences if we fail, would have driven me below its surface. The crescendo of my heart pounding in my ears almost, drowned out the cadence of the guard's footsteps as they passed. I squeezed my eyes shut, and slowly exhaled the breath that I had been holding, until I could no longer hear their presence. It felt like a small eternity. My lungs burned for the oxygen I denied them.

If it wasn't for the breeze that the force your body made as you stood, I wouldn't have known you stood up in preparation of our next obstacle. If it weren't for your brazen amber eyes, I could have sworn to Kyoshi that you were an airbender. You nodded your head once. I followed your command and took my place at your right side.

It was only after I peered over the cliff's edge that I noticed the white steam coming off of the pool below. A gust of wind pushed the vapors away below us. It must have been a sign from the spirits. Because then, all I could focus on was the bright full moon reflecting on the water's surface, as if Yue illuminated our target, guiding us into its' depths. _On purpose or not, Thank you Yue,_ I thought.

I narrowed my eyes, calculating how I needed to align my body to accomplish what was to come next. "This is it, the point of no return. Are you ready?" I whispered more to myself than to you. My eyes met yours and for the first time in many years they drove pure fear through my soul. It was _those_ eyes that haunted my dreams, and made me cry out in my sleep. Your golden orbs were calculated, fierce...deadly. I am thankful that I will not be on the receiving end of your wrath tonight. You answered by unhooking the clasp on your cloak, letting it fall in the dirt and stepping forward. I micked your movements. I spoke again, "Let's get our family back."

Our bodies broke through the water's surface with flawless execution. No sound. No back splash. Nothing. Perhaps all those lessons with Katara rubbed off on you. I've notice through the years that your bending became more graceful and elegant. Almost like a waterbender, especially when bending lightning.

It took longer than I thought, as we blindly swim to find the red glow of our hidden destination. The burning sensation clawed its' way through my lungs again. I shook my head to shake of the sudden panic rising from my stomach. We lingered below in the shallows until the shadow of a being disappeared on the caves inner wall. I bit back the feeling of guilt that threatened to explode in me. The pain that I feel, would be nothing compared to what I know, they are enduring in this volcanic prison.

My first breath was no better than holding it in. The ratio of oxygen to sulfur vapors is not ideal, but there is not time to wait and catch our breaths. Adrenaline took over my senses. I didn't even feel the warmth of my blood down my back as we molded our bodies to the caves jagged walls.

I never fathomed that the screams, and cries echoing through the corridors were coming from two of the most strong people I know. _We will save them or die trying, and take as many of these bastards with us into the spirit world._

You motioned for me to move forward and that you would cover me. I swallowed what siliva I had in my mouth and nodded. We followed this dance of ours for several meters before we encountered the first of the resistance. There were to be no prisoners. That is how we work. That is something that we understand. We let the others, especially Aang, think it was always self defence. We just never corrected him, and everyone else left well enough alone.

My razor sharp fan left his head rolling, trailing blood in its wake. I flicked my fan spraying the floor, relieving it from that son of a bitch's essence. His comrade joined the other's puddle with the searing end of your fire whip. The aroma of burnt flesh filled the corridor. I saw the deep rise of your chest, as if you were smelling a freshly picked water lily. A heinous grin was spreading across your face. That look of glory on your face stopped bothering me along time ago. I accepted that somethings will never change. That it was apart of what made you, you.

This underground hell turned out to be a labyrinth of dead ends, and doors that opened to a floor of molten lava. The rebellion army was larger than we anticipated, but it did not matter. What was one more body? They all seemed to blend together anyhow. I had no doubt that we would eventually find _them_. My only thought was in what state they would be. I shuttered at the thought as we passed by another lifeless prison cell.

Some bodies were no longer recognizable, still chained to the walls. The natural heat radiating from the dormant volcano pulling all moisture from their beings, leaving brownish grey shriveled shells. _If the rebellion was able to incur this form of torture to these hostages, what have they done to the Fire Lord and Lady?_ I paused as that statement settled into my subconscious. My stomach turned sour. I had to force the bile rising back down, as more soldiers cornered us. This was the largest head on attack we have ever been in. _Great spirits help us._

I recognized the familiarity of the attack formation they were in. The younger and less experienced soldiers in the front, they were more expendable. Some no more than 15 years of age, while the more seasoned, more valuable in the rear.

The front line rattled more visibly than the back. Some were literally shaking in their armour. As they should. I watched their eyes through the slits of their helmets. Some were filled with unshed tears, knowing that these few moments would be their last. They all had one common feature. All of them, dilated and glazed over in fear. They were waiting to for us to make the first move. Fucking idiots. Weren't they told never to underestimate us. Never.

You took a step forward rotating your arms into a stance that only I knew. I guarded your right flank. I shuddered as you pulled the electrons from the air. The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention. If those poor bastards only knew what was coming. I caught a glimpse of Ozai's former general in the back snickering with delusional confidence. If he only knew, and when he did learn, it would be too late.

The crackling sound of electricity grew into a dragon's roar, as you continued to gather it all around you. The front lines of their defense began to stumble backwards into the line of soldiers behind them. The back lines started to shove them back, pushing them closer to us. Some started to scream and plead for mercy, but that only fueled your inner fire.

For us there was no prisoners. No mercy.

Is it wrong of me to like to watch the enemy fumble to their knees in fruitless attempts to escape? To watch as their eyes widen as you dance with the electricity in the air. The ethereal blue orb that surrounds you, illuminates the whites of their eyes, when they finally understand our purpose: Bring death upon all of those who dare to hurt or threaten our family.

One soldier pissed himself as he watched you. You were toying with them.

"Damn it Azula! Stop playing. End this now!"

And just like that you spun forward, circling your arms above you guiding multiple lightning whips. Each perfectly aimed at each heart that stood in our way. You looked like Katara flowing with her water, only you were flowing lightning aimed to kill without abandon. As row after row of electrified bodies fell, I started to follow your path, and walk over the convulsing corpses that now made up the cave's floor.

I lost count of the trail of bodies we left when we found them. I thought of what you put me through at the Boiling rock was incomprehensible, but this, _this_...no words have been created to describe such a scene. _Perhaps death would be a relief and a final act of love?_ _NO! They will survive this._

We unshackled Zuko's hands that were encased in metal. And removed the metal gag over his mouth. He was barely conscious and had no idea who we are, or what was going on. You took off your tunic leaving you only in your under bindings, and gently pulled it over his bloody and burned body. He let out groan as we propped him against the wall so we could free Katara.

Thank the spirits that she was in a little better condition than your brother, but not by much. She nodded and a half smile formed on her bruised and blood stained face, when we wrapped her arms around our shoulders, and helped her walk to where her husband was sitting.

"Here Katara," I whispered as I held her head steady and brought her water pouch to her lips, "slowly."

Katara's body absorbed the water like a desert during the first rain of the season. She began to slightly glow as her body began to heal itself from the inside out. Undoubtedly, she and Zuko would need several weeks if not months to fully recover, but it was a start. Still to weak to speak, Katara gestured for more water, and began to heal to the most prominent of Zuko's injuries.

With both Zuko and Katara able to walk with one of us, instead of both, to lean on I said, "Let's go home." All of you nodded in silent agreement.

Something was still weighing heavy on my heart and I couldn't piece it together. I am thankful and relieved, yet at the same time my spirit is holding me back. Cold sweat started to drip down my back, and with each step my insides twisted and another hair stood on end.

Thanks to Uncle Iroh and his "friends" we found where the ex-general hid his airship without any incidents.

I heard a muffled yell as I was about to lead Katara on the gangplank to board. I snapped around bringing her body with me. She screamed at the sudden and intensity of my movements. Ozai's general held a dagger to your throat while you struggled to keep Zuko out of his reach and from falling. Katara slid down the side of my body as I unsheathed and fanned out my weapon.

I have never seen you afraid. And the look in your eyes felt like someone ripped my heart out of my chest. I stepped forward and the general dug the blade deeper in your neck. Blood started to stream down your neck. I want to scream. I stopped mid step and my eyes locked with yours. I shook my head "no" as I read the thoughts behind your eyes.

You're an ass if you plan on sacrificing yourself for us, for me. You're an even bigger dumb ass if you think that I am going to let you, you stupid firebender! What the hell makes you think I'm going to let my best friend die. My eyes began to sting at the reality of the situation that we now find ourselves in, and the high possibility that I can't do anything to save you.

Your eyes suddenly damn near popped out of your head. I cried out your name, "AZULA!" I had no clue as to what was going on. _NO! This can't be it! You cannot leave me like this!_ The general's body stiffened and the blade fell to the floor. You lounged forward with your free hand covering your wound and the other still around Zuko. The contrast of thick red blood to your white hand is sickening.

With my peripheral vision I saw Katara kneeling on the ground using every last bit of energy she had to keep the traitor in her grasp. Her fingers bent in unholy ways. Her wrists contorted in a way that I never imagined possible. Not thinking twice I let my fan fly through the air.

The general let out a breathless wail as my fan made contact to the same place where he held the dagger to you. It was hard to breathe. My blood coursing in my veins was boiling. Fury stormed behind my eyes as I stood over his body. I watched as he withered in pain struggling to gasp for air. I yanked my fan out of his throat allowing his life force to flow more freely from his body. I wanted my eyes to be the last thing he ever saw. I crouched over his head before I pierced his heart with his own dagger. _When did I pick it up?_

"No one attempts to take the life of my friend, my sister, and lives," I seethed between clenched teeth. I didn't once blink as I watched his world of light fade into a black abyss.


End file.
